The Ramen Ninja
by Anon E. Mous
Summary: Naruto and the rest of team 7 learn the origin of everyone's favorite noodle stand, and it's not what they expected.


Disclaimer: If I owned this stuff, why would it be on a fanfiction site? Seriously people we don't need disclaimers.

The Ramen Ninja

"Oi Kakashi-sensei. Where are we going?" The loudest ninja in Konoha walked down the streets with he genin cell. They had received a D-rank mission, although Naruto failed to see why. Then again, both Sasuke and Sakura seemed to be having a hard time understanding that as well.

"I told you, Naruto. We are going to meet an informant, and bring his information to the Hokage." Kakashi had gone over this when he met his team, but the young blond was obviously not paying attention.

Sasuke scoffed, muttering "Dobe" under his breath.

"What was that Sasuke-teme?"

"Don't talk to Sasuke-kun that way!" Sakura yelled, hitting him over the head.

Naruto moaned a little before Kakashi smiled saying, "We're almost there."

The area was familiar to Naruto. In fact, this was a place that Naruto would come to nearly every day. The boy's eyes lit up as his sensei began steering the group to Naruto's favorite place in the whole world. Ichiraku.

"Naruto-kun," greeted the old man behind the counter. "And Kakashi-san. Taking the cell out to lunch today?"

"No, Oji-san" Naruto stated, earning an uncaught glare from Sasuke. "We're on a m-"

"Yes," Kakashi interrupted. "I thought I would treat my team to ramen in the park today. It being such a wonderful day and all." Naruto's eyes sparkled as he looked up at Kakashi adoringly. "I believe I placed a carry out order."

"Oh yes, of course," the old man said, reaching behind the counter. "How could I have forgot?" He pulled out a large brown bag and handed it to the Jounin.

Naruto's mouth was watering just thinking about what type of Ramen Kakashi had bought for them. He was so infatuated with the bag that he did not see the amount of money that Kakashi handed to the Ramen cook. This, however, did not go unnoticed by the other two genin of the group, who chose to keep quiet.

"Ramen. Ramen," Naruto chanted as the group left the Ramen stand. About five minutes, two "dobe's," and a punch to the head later, something, aside from Sakura, hit the chanting ninja. "Oi, Kakashi-sensei. The park is that way."

"We're not going to the park, dobe," Sasuke cut in.

"Huh? Are we going to meet the contact first?"

"Baka," Sakura said shaking her head.

"We already met him," Kakashi said holding up the bag.

Naruto looked blankly for a moment. Suddenly his eyes widened as he realized what had taken place. "OJI-SAN WAS THE INFORMANT!" Two of the other ninja brought their hands up to their faces, while Sakura decided to bring her hand to Naruto's.

"YELL THAT OUT THE WHOLE WORLD WHY DON'T YOU!" she yelled as he slammed into the wall of a nearby building.

!#$&()+

After delivering the package to the Hokage, team 7 was standing outside the office waiting for their sensei to come out. As the silver haired Jounin emerged from the office Naruto's mind was a flurry of questions, but before he could get to any of them Sakura asked one of her own.

"Kakashi-sensei. Why was such a simple delivery mission classified as a D-rank and not an E-rank?"

Kakashi smiled down at his student. "The information that was in that bag was very important to an ongoing B-rank mission. Our part was minor, but essential."

"Kakashi-sensei. How did Oji-san get the information? He's not a ninja," Naruto chimed in, finally getting one of the questions in his head straight.

"Not anymore at least." This visibly shocked all three genin. Kakashi motioned to a nearby bench where they could sit. "We don't have any more missions today, so if you want to stay I will tell you about Ichi-san; or at least that's what everyone used to call him." The Jounin was a little surprised when even Sasuke opted to stay sitting.

"Ichi-san was a genin many years ago. He doesn't look it, but he is as old as Konoha's elders. In fact he was on a genin team with elder Mitokado Homura, and the Hokage's love. They even did a great many missions when they all became chunin. And even as a chunin, Ichi-san could take out most Jounin. Then it all ended.

!#$&()+

The mission had started off great, as most of them do. The group consisting of three chunin and two Jounin had encountered no resistance going into stone country. It was coming out that was the problem. They had lost the two Jounin who were trying to buy them time to get back to Konoha. Iwa was planning an attack.

Dan was breathing hard as they ran towards home. He had taken a Kunai to the back earlier, and would have taken more had Homura not been there to deflect them.

"Ichi-kun, pant Homura-kun pant ." The two stopped and turned to see their teammate. A small trickle of blood was coming out of Dan's mouth.

"Are you going to make it, Dan-kun?" asked Homura. Dan was clutching his stomach.

"We need to get him back to Konoha now. Homura-kun grab his arm." Both ninjas got under the shoulders of their comerade.

" pant Too late." They all looked back to see three ninja coming up on them fast. "Leave me."

"Not a chance. Homura-kun, buy me a little time to open the gates."

"Ichi-kun, you can't be serious," came the reply back.

"I have to." With a primal yell the young man began turning redder, and the chakra began to flow through him. _First gate._ The enemy would be on top of them in seconds. _Second gate._ There they where, saying something he couldn't hear. _Third gate._ Kunai flew towards him and Dan only to be deflected by Homura's sheriken. _Fourth Gate._ All three began going after Homura. _Fifth gate. One more to go._ Homura was in trouble as all three were now bearing down on him. _Sixth gate._

In a flash Ichi grabbed his two teammates and ran for Konoha.

!#$&()+

Homura sat outside of Ichi's room. Dan had had minor internal bleeding, but was now doing all right, although when Ichi collapsed in front of Konoha, throwing his friends, it hadn't helped. Ichi had been in the operating room for a few hours with no word. He was finally out, but was told that Ichi was not taking visitors.

"How is he doing?"

"H-Hokage-sama. I . . . They won't let me in." The second Hokage stood before the boy, holding a cup in his hand.

"Tell you what. I'll go see how he's doing."

"But you can't-"

"Of course I can. It's one of the perks of being Hokage." The Hokage opened the door and entered the room. Ichi had his back to the door. Even though he wasn't making any noise, the movement of his body that he was crying.

"How are you doing, Ichi-kun?"

"I-I can't be a ninja anymore," he choked out between sobs. It was harsh. He saved two friends and most likely the entire village with the intelligence he had brought back, but the price was two Jounin and a very promising Chunin.

There was nothing that he could say that could comfort the young man. The Hokage knew this. "I'm sorry. For what it's worth, you and your team are heroes. We know that Iwa is getting ready to move because of you, and we will be able to stop them." The Hokage set the cup down on the night stand and walked toward the door.

"If you get hungry I left some food for you on the nightstand. Ninja or not, everyone needs food." With that, he left.

Ichi slowly turned over to look at the cup of ramen that the Hokage had left. As he stared at the cup, one phrase rang over and over in his head. 'Ninja or not, everyone needs food.'

!#$&()+

"Shortly after that, we saw Ichiraku pop up and it has been here ever since."

Naruto was looking up at his sensei with tears in his eyes. "That is the greatest story of Ramen I've ever heard," he said.

"But it doesn't explain how he got information on a mission," said Sakura.

Kakashi smirked under his mask. "You'd be surprised what people say when they are under the influence of good friends, good food, and an oral drug. But enough with that. How about I really treat you guys to some ramen now?"

"YATTA!" shouted Naruto, while the other two nodded. Standing, they began to make their way to the best ninja noodle shop around. Ichiraku.


End file.
